Earth auger



Sept 4, 1923.

P. GAMPHER EARTH maar:V

Filedreb. 5,

Sheets-Sheet 1 a/ILL Gam 'Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

PAUL GAMPHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EARTH Avena.

Application filed February 5, 1921.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- PAUL GmvIPHER, a citizen yof the United States, a resident of hicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Earth Angers, of which. thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to earth augers that are used in boring post holes,vwater wells, and for other purposes. The drawings indicate an auger adapted particularly for post holes, butt-he principles involved lin my augers for other purposes are the same.

The object of my invention is to produce a. highly efiicient auger with little weight and great serviceabilit rigidity and strength, together with some peculiar shapes to the parts, which add to the efficiency of the auger.

The invention is set forth in the claims.

Reference will be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an assembled view oii' the auger.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of parte of the auger.

Figure 3 is a plan section on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a modified form of some of the parts of the mechanism.

Figure -shows the same form as in Figure 5, but with the parts in a different position.

detail on line 4 4 the auger bits closed together and partly in section.

In the drawing 1 indicates an ordinary handle which is used to handle a post hole auger and 2 indicates the handle stem, or spindle of the auger, here shown as being made out of a piece of pipe. On the lower end ofthis pipe there is mounted a fixture or casting 3 which carries some bearings for hinge pins 4. This main casting 3 is provided with a cover plateover a part of the section, as indicated by 5 in Figure 3. A

clamping bolt indicated by holds on the cover plate v5' at the lower point. Mounted on the hinge pins 4 are bellcrank levers 7 of the handle 13, Figure 7 is another modified form, with Serial No. 442,723.

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which are secured by rivets 8 to the auger Y bits 9. The bellcranked levers 7 have bearing faces of a block 11, extends up through 1 and on the endof a hand handle 13.

the spi which ndle 2 and handle there is provided This rod 12 may be rotated as desired through the influence of t he handle 13 'and thus revolve the block 11 in any position Yof contact with levers 7.

On the side of the block the ends 10 of the bell cranked 11 l(see Figures 3 and 4), there is a projection14 adapted to it into a recess 15 in the s 3 or a recess 16 in the cover projection in either case, as desired locks the bits 9 in position ide of the casting plate 5. lThis 14, engaging the recesses 15 or 16,

by the operator, of closure for excavation and when the bits have Vbeen filled with earth and lifted out operator, by twisting the gages the vprojection 14 tical movement.

Then'by pushing down the bellcrank levers 7 are operated to s described,

13 and again, the bits are locked in place by means of the projection 14 `from the hole the handle 13, 4disenfrom the recesses 15 or 16, which releases the rod 12 for ver-- on the khandle 13 pread ted by the dotted permits the disulated within the the bits are brought home to ing up of the rod by a twisting as previously The'bits 9 are made out of rather thin steel for convenience invhandling and for stiftening purposes on thenose of the ribs 17 which add but greatly stiifen the working These bits o r curved over at 18 at the top,

ness at the top, and,` also withdrawalozf the auger `from the hole dur? ing the excavating work.

The peculiar shape of t bits, gives this auger grea a most excellent "tool for signed.

the bits I provide klittle weight and ends of the bits 9.

blades 9 are curved to give additional stiffto ,facilitate the henose k19 of the t eiiiciency and is the purpose' de The modified form as shown in Figure 5 differs from the form shown in Figures 1 to 4f inclusive in relation to the connection oi the bellcrank arms with the controlling block connected to the rod 12, which .opens and closes the bits as before described. In Figures 5 and 6 the bellcrank arms 2O have contact ends 21 which engage a block 22 in a slighly different manner from that shown for the ends 10 of the arms and the block 11 of the rod 2, as previously described. The purpose of this modification provides for a little stronger leverage to be exerted by the handle 13 in opening and closing the bits, as the ends 2O cross each other as is indicated in Figure 5. vWith this construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 the block 22 does not revolve as does the block 11 in Figure 2, but the rod 12 revolves within the block 22 and in Figures 5 and 6 this rod 12 is provided with a head 23 which has a locking projection upon it to perform a similar function to the locking projection indicated by 14 in the earlier i'gures.

Figure 7 shows another modified form which resides purely in the block 23 on the rod 12 and is more or less similar to the construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, the difference being only that the ends 24 of the bell cranked levers do not cross each other but are shaped slightly ditierent from the ends 10 as shown in Figure 2, the results being substantially the same.

The casting 3, or lower base block of the stem, which I have referred to as a block in claims, is so shaped as to embrace the ends 10 or inner arms of the bell cranked levers 7 and the cover plate 5 makes the other side of this enclosure so that the earth is shut out from clogging the movement of theI rod 2 with this block 11 and the ends 10 of the bell cranked levers 7.

What I claim is 1. In an earth auger, the cutting bits having the curved shaped cutting ends stiiiened by ribs extending down and along the narrower and weaker portion of the bits.l

2. In a device of the class described, the cutting bits having the cutting ends stiiened by ribs extending along the narrower and weaker portions, and having the upper ends of these bits curvedvover for stiffening purposes and for convenience in removal from the hole excavated by the auger.

3. In a device of the class described, cutting bits made of segments of a cylinder turned in at their ends forming cutting edges and said cylinders secured to bell cranked levers hinged into ahead block and provided with ends shaped to be engaged and moved by a block secured to an operating rod adapted to be recip'rocated and revolved in the control 0f the bellcrank arms and for locking the rod and arms in excavating position, said block on said rod having a beveled edged groove for engaging the ends of said bell cranks in any position and a projection adapted to lock the block' against vertical movement.

4f. In a device of the class described, an operating handle for revolving the auger, mounted on the handle stem and said stem being hollow; a secondary handle mounted on a rod extending down through the operating handle and through the hollow stem and provided on the lower end with a block having a beveled edged groove adapted to engage in any position the ends of bellcrank levers on which the augerbits are mounted; a fixed block onr the handle stem provided with hinged pins for supporting the bell cranked levers and an aperture in the side of this fixed block adapted to form part of a locking device for holding the auger bits in excavating operative position and a projection on the said block on the said secondary handle rod adapted to engage the said aperture in the said fixed block by a rotative movement of the said secondary handle and its rod.

5. In a device of the class described, an auger bit composed of two shells provided with excavating points adapted to excavate material and hold it within the embrace of the shells, the said shells mounted on bellcrank levers hinged in the fixed block on the stem of the auger and the said levers having curved shape ends adapted to embrace and 'be moved by a grooved block adapted to :(it and engage the ends of the said levers in a manner that a reciprocating movement of the grooved block operates levers to spread apart or close the said shells and a rotating movement of the block operates to lock the block and bell cranked levers in fixed position, by means of a pro- )ection on the said block and a recess 1n the said fixed block adapted to hold the parts in fixed position against vertical movement when the locking is desired; in combination with a regular handle and stem of the auger and an operating device for the said block which engages the ends of the said bellcrank ends.

6. In a device of the class described, a main stem or handle for the auger provided with a fixed supporting block on the end thereof, and thev latter provided with hinged bearings for bellcranked levers on which are mounted the cutting bits of the auger and the said fixed block embracing the ends of the said levers and provided with a cover plate adapted to make a complete enclosure of the operating ends of the bellcranked levers for the purpose of shutting out the accumulation of earth and other material that might clog the movement of the operating parts and the said block and its cover plate having locking recesses therein, adapted to aid in the locking mechanism for the opening and closing of the bits of the said auger; in combination With a rod eX- tending down through the handle and adapted to be rotated and reciprocated and provided with a grooved block adapted by its groove to engage the ends of said bell cranked levers and move the same and With 10 a project-ion on said grooved block adapted to be rotated in and out of engagement With the said locking recess of said cover plate.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, this 20th day of J annary, 1921. 

